In The Playwright as Rebel, Nicholas Dromgoole's essays in theatre history not only examine particular plays at key moments in drama history, but in setting them in their cultural and historical context, attempt to answer these wider questions. Theatre is seen as playing a key part in disseminating ideas, attitudes and assumptions at crucial moments of social and ideological change. As a result we approach his chosen plays and playwrights with an enhanced understanding of what they were setting out to achieve.